Pfing



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL GUSTAV PFINGSTEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POCKET-BOOK CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,933, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed December 4, 1888. Serial No. 292,623. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL GUSTAV PFING- STEN, of New York city, New York, have invented an Improved Lock for Pocket-Books, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a lock for pocketbooks and similar articles, so constructed that the locking mechanism is entirely concealed beneath the pocketbook flap. Thus the outer face of the lock presents nothing but one solid metal plate without any of the ordinary exposed push or hinge pieces for operating the lock.

The invention consists in the various features of improvement more fully pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is alongitudinal central section of my improved lock, showing the stud in side view. Fig. 2 is a face view of the box; Fig. 3, a face view of the contents of the boxviz., spring and locking-plates; Fig. 4, a face view of the back plate or cover. Fig. 5 shows a face view of the box with its contents. Fig 6 is a similar View with the back plate in place. Fig. 7 is a face view of the outer clasp with its two jaws in a line and with the box in place. Fig. 8 is an inner view of the jaws when bent upon one another and in closing the remaining parts of the lock. Fig. 9 is an outer view of said jaws; and Fig. 10 is,a face view of the locking-plates, showing their engagement with the stud.

The letter a represents part of the body of the pocket-book, over which folds the pocketbook flap I), as usual. From the book a. there projects forwardly the stud, bolt, or button 0, having a shank, and a head, 0', the latter tapering both toward the shank and toward the point, thus being made of double conical form, as shown in Fig. 1. Around the edge of flap b there is folded a clasp consisting of two jaws, d d, and riveted to the flap. The outer jaw, (Z, is bulged or box-shaped and incloses the look, while the inner jaw, d, is a flat plate and lies flush against the inner face of flap b. This inner jaw, d, is perforated and the flap is perforated in line with it for the admission of the stud-head into the box. One or more perforations may be made in the parts b (1', so that the pocket-book may be tightly closed whether full or empty.

Within the bulge of jaw d there is inclosed face of the head.

a box, f, the bottom of which has an outwardly-bulged portion, f, in which the locking-plates and springs are free to move, as hereinafter described.

The sides of box f have small lugs f which may be bent over a fiat cover, f, for closing the box and confining its contents in place. When the box is in its proper position, its bulged bottom plate, f, should lie against the outer face of the flap b. This bottom plate, as well as the cover f are also perforated in line with the flap perforations for the opening of the stud-head, Fig. 1.

Vithin the bulged port-ion f of box f there are placed, preferably, two lock-plates, g, slightly notched upon their opposing edges, as at g, also for the admission of the studhead. These plates are forced together by a pair of springs, 71, placed between their outer edges and the edges of the bulge f, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus the lock-plates have a limited lateral motion. hen all the parts are in position, the plates 9 are exposed partly through the openings in back plate, cl Fig. 8.

The operation of the device is as follows: The flap b is closed by pressure of the linger on plate (1 against the body a of the pocketbook. lock. Its conical head will spread the plates 9 apart until the widest part of the head has passed, when the springs h will force the plates 9 together against the shank or the lower Thus the book will be properly locked.

To open the pocket-book the lower edge of the flap 1; is drawn outward with a slight force. This will cause the lower conical part of the stud-head to force the plates g apart to permit the withdrawal of said head. As soon as the head has cleared the plates, the springs h will again throw them together.

What I claim is The combination of pocket-book with stud 0, having double conical head 0, and with a lock secured to flap 1) of the pocketbook, and consisting of box-shaped clasp d d and of notched spring-plates g, the flap 1) being perforated for the admission of the stud-head, substantially as specified.

. CARL GUSTAV PFINGS'IEN.

Witnesses:

F. v. BRIESEN, WM. WAGNER.

This will cause the stud c to enter the p Ice 

